As the cool weather settles into southeastern Pennsylvania the leaves lay crispy on the ground and the streams and lakes that are along the paths I walk with my dogs gently lap the shore with tiny wind blown waves. These socks, inspired by these tiny waves gently lap at your ankles and keep them warm and toasty on long walks in the chilly winter air.

These socks are constructed with an unusual cable paired with a decrease. While a little tricky at first, it adds a great texture that traps air, making them nice and toasty. Toe-up construction lets you get the most out of your yardage.

PATTERN NOTES[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

The toe increases create a fairly short, rounded toe. If you'd prefer a more traditional toe shaping, alternate increase and even rounds until you have the number of stitches required. This also delays the start of the patterning a little, so that it starts where the toes meet the foot.

A demonstration for EZ's (Elizabeth Zimmermann's) sewn bind off can be found here.
Do not pull the bind off yarn too tight or it won't allow enough elasticity to go over the heel.

Cable and Lace Pattern
Worked over a multiple of 8 sts, in the round. Stitch count increases by 1 st per repeat on each of rounds 1, 3, 7 and 9, and decreases back to the original count on rounds 5 & 11. You may wish to place st markers every 8 sts on the setup round to define pattern repeats.

Heel Step 2Note: There will be 10[10, 16] unwrapped stitches at the center of your needle.Row 1 [RS]: K11[11, 17] working wrapped st together with its wraps, w&t.Row 2 [WS]: P12 [12, 18] working wrapped st together with its wraps, w&t.Row 3 [RS]: K13[13, 19] working wrapped st together with its wraps, w&t.Row 4 [WS]: P14[14, 20] working wrapped st together with its wraps, w&t.Row 5 [RS]: K15[15, 21] working wrapped st together with its wraps, w&t.Row 6 [WS]: P16[16, 22] working wrapped st together with its wraps, w&t.Row 7 [RS]: K17[17, 23] working wrapped st together with its wraps, w&t.Row 8 [WS]: P18[18, 24] working wrapped st together with its wraps, w&t.Row 9 [RS]: K19[19, 25] working wrapped st together with its wraps, w&t.Row 10 [WS]: P20[20, 26] working wrapped st together with its wraps, w&t.Row 11 [RS]: K21[21, 27] working wrapped st together with its wraps, w&t.Row 12 [WS]: P22[22, 28] working wrapped st together with its wraps, w&t.Row 13 [RS]: K23[23, 29] working wrapped st together with its wraps, w&t.Size Small only: Proceed to Leg.

Medium and Large sizes only:Row 14 [WS]: [P24, 30] working wrapped st together with its wraps, w&tRow 15 [RS]: [K25, 31] working wrapped st together with its wraps, w&tRow 16 [WS]: [P26, 32] working wrapped st together with its wraps, w&tRow 17 [RS]: [K27, 33] working wrapped st together with its wraps, w&tRow 18 [WS]: [P28, 34] working wrapped st together with its wraps, w&tRow 19 [RS]: [K29, 35] working wrapped st together with its wraps, w&tRow 20 [WS]: [P30, 36] working wrapped st together with its wraps, w&tRow 21 [RS]: [K31, 37] working wrapped st together with its wraps, w&t

Leg
At this point you will resume working in the round.Note: There will be one st left wrapped, this st will be addressed on the next round as it helps prevent a large hole where the heel and leg meet. If the first chart round to be worked is a Round 6, then the wrapped stitch is knitted together with its wrap; if the first chart round to be worked is a Round 12, then the wrapped stitch is purled together with its wrap.

Round 1: Resume working in established pattern at the beginning of the instep (either round 6 or 12), pick up wrap on first sole st and work together with st in pattern (see note above), work in chart pattern to end of round starting at stitch 2 of the pattern.

Leg round: Work Pattern around all needles.

Continue as set until leg is desired length, ending with Pattern Round 12. Sample as shown has 5 pattern repeats.